5: Inspiring Movies about Teachers

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William Arthur Ward

There are no written rules out there stating the right or wrong way to teach. The best part about teaching is that there are endless ways you can relay a message to your students.

Take it from these teachers – I’d like to share with you 5 movies that I’ve compiled of the most inspiring movies about teachers. They are sure to move me every time I watch them (tears included).

Dangerous Minds
Louanne Johnson is an ex-marine, hired as a teacher at a high-school located in a poorer area of the city. She has recently separated from her husband. Her friend, also a teacher at the school, got the temporary position for her. After a terrible reception from the students, she tries unconventional methods of teaching (using karate, Bob Dylan lyrics, etc) to gain the trust of her students.

The Karate Kid
Daniel is new in town, and is getting picked on by the local bullies, who all are adept in karate. Determined to stick up for himself, Daniel begins to teach himself karate, only to discover that the caretaker at his apartment seems to be a grand master in karate. Agreeing to teach Daniel, Mr. Miyagi shows Daniel that there is more to karate than violence, and perhaps the best way to solve the problem he has with the bullies is in the All Valley Karate Championship.

Dead Poets Society
Painfully shy Todd Anderson has been sent to the school where his popular older brother was valedictorian. His room-mate, Neil, although exceedingly bright and popular, is very much under the thumb of his overbearing father. The two, along with their other friends, meet Professor Keating, their new English teacher, who tells them of the Dead Poets Society, and encourages them to go against the status quo. Each, in their own way, does this, and is changed for life.

Lean on Me
An arrogant and unorthodox teacher returns as principal to the idyllic high school from which he had earlier been fired to find it a den of drug abuse, gang violence, and urban despair. Eventually his successful but unorthodox methods lead to a clash with city officials that threaten to undo all his efforts. This is based on a true story.

Stand and Deliver
Jaime Escalante is a mathematics teacher in a school in a Hispanic neighborhood. Convinced that his students have potential, he adopts unconventional teaching methods to try and turn gang members and no-hopers into some of the country’s top algebra and calculus students